Side slipping weft detector



June 19, 1951 c. R. KRoNoFF TAI.

SIDE SLIPPING WEF T DETECTOR Filed Feb. 18, 1950 IVNVENToRs CLARENCE R.KRONOFF GEORGE N. PETERSON ATTORNEY UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE snor: sLIrPING WEFT DETECTOR Clarence R. Kronoff, Worcester, and George N.

Peterson, Grafton, Mass., assignors to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 18, 1950, Serial No. 145,008

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in side slipping weft detectors for looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide improved means for moving the detector nger `of the detector mechanism out of the path of the incoming bobbin at the time of bobbin transfer.

Multicolor weft replenishing looms generally have the weft detector located at the magazine end and provision must be made for moving the Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View looking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1, the hanger for the detector mechanism being shown in section,

1Figs. 3 and 4 are detailed transverse vertical sections on lines 3--3 and li-, respectively, of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the weft detector looking in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 4, and in the direction opposite to that in which the de-v detector forwardly out of the path `of the incomtector is seen in Fig. l,

ing bobbin as the latter is pushed into the de- Figa 6 iS a perspective View 0f the detectcr pleted shuttle by the transferrer arm. In the nger, past this has generally been accomplished by Fig. 7 is a perSDectiVe VieW 0f the retractOr moving the entire detector mechanism forwardly member, and

on some form of sliding guide, but when the de- Fig- 8 iS a diagrammatic View indicating the tector finger is mounted on a lever there is Iikedetecter kin non-indicating position in full lines lihood that the latter may swing incident to its and in indicating POStiOn inClOtted lines. forward movement and give a false indication Referring Particularly t0 Fig- 1, the 100m frame of weft exhaustion, I n has mounted thereon the foot I I of a weft re- It is an important object of the present inven- 2c DleniShng mechanism net Specifically ShOWn tion to mount the detector finger for sliding moveherein but 0f any approved type, Such OI inment on a pivoted carrier which is mounted on Stance aS the rccking tWO-COIOI' type 01 the Staa stationary support, and provide for moving tonaryfour-color type. Foot II has atransferrer the detector finger forwardly with respect to the Stud l2 Secured thereto 0n Which iS DiVOted a lever whenever e weft repienjshing Operai-,ion 0e- 25 transferrer arm i3 having a transferrer shoe I4 ours in such manner that the carrier will not Secured t0 the real' end thcleef, at the right in swing t0 give a, false indication Fig. 1. Depending from the hub l5 of the trans- Itis another object of the invention to provide eiel' leVei' are tWO almS iii and il Which S1113- a detector lever or carrier with a detector nger Dort a Stud is- PiVOted t0 the latter iS a latch of simple form having a lei-,eral Oiiset i-,e be encarrier I9 to which a transferrer latch 2U is segaged by a retracting or withdrawing membei` cured as at 2l. The stud I8 extends to one side which is moved by the transferrer arm on a weft 0f depending arn l5 as Suggested in Fig. 2 fr replenishing beat of the loom, the member and a reason to be Set fOI'th hereinafter. oiset cooperating with the nger and a spring The lay 22 SUPDOItS a Shuttle bOX 23 in which attached thereto to prevent turning of the lever a Shuttle S iS located 011 replenishing heats 0f the and thereby preventing a false indication loom. During a weft replenishing operation the It is another object of the invention to make depleted bobbin 24 in the shuttle is replaced by the retractor member in the form of awire having a full bobbin 25, the depleted bchhin passing sliding engagement with a guide fixed to the stadown through a Slot 2@ in the lay. and the full tienary detecter Support and having an Offset 40 bobbin passing downwardly into the shuttle and arm for engagement with Some part moving with being held by the usual bobbin clips (not shown) the trenferrer erm The retraeter is preferably The shuttle box and front wallZi of the shuttle made of wire and is resilient and can be readily S haVe aligned SiOtS 01" Opening 28 and 29, rebeni; when being applied 150 and removed from spectively, for reception of a weft detector finger the stationary guide indicated generally at F.

With these and other Objects in View which During loom operation a bunter 30 secured to will appear as the description proceeds, the inthe lay Ordinarily SWeepS back and fOrth in a Path vention resides in the combination and arrange- 3Jloci/'e the latch 20, but When a Weft fehlen-lening ment of parts hereinafter described and set forth. Operation iS to occur mechanism not shown here- In the accompanying drawings, wherein aconin but well understood lifts the latch into the venient embodiment of the invention is set forth: path 0f the bunter 30, and as the lay adVanCeS 0r Fig. 1 is a side elevation of part of the weft moves to the left, Fig. 1, the latch and carrier I9 replenishing mechanism having the invention apare nlOVed forwardly by the bunter to cause the plied thereto, the shuttle box, shuttle and lay transferrer foot I@ to descend and insert the full being in cross section, and the parts being in bobbin 25 into the shuttle S. At this time it is normal position,

necessaryto move the detector nger F out of the 3 shuttle a distance suflicient at least to clear the incoming bobbin. It will be understood that the bobbin transfer occurs when the lay is on front center and at this time the detector nger F is normally in the shuttle performing a weft detecting operation.

The present invention relates to a type oi side slipping weft detector in which the nger F is mounted for sliding movement on a carrier lever mounted on a fixed pivotfby stud I8 for moving the finger F forwardly. Referring particularly to Figs. l and 2, a small stand is secured as at 35 in fixed position on the transferrer stud I2 and extends downwardly and preferably rearwardly. A hanger 31 shown herein as made of sheet metal is held for vertically adjusted position by screws 38 screw threaded into the stand 35 and passing througha vertical slot 3'9 in the upper part of the hanger 31. The lower part of the latter is 'bent "horizontally to `provide asupporting foot 4Q Yextending under a plate or support 4l. The latter has slots 42 therein through which vextend'bolts 43 which hold the support 4| in stationary position but permit lit to be adjusted back and forth on the hanger.

The support 4| has secured thereto and upstanding therefrom a stud surrounded by the hub 45 of a detector carrier lever 41. A slide bearing block 48 is secured to lever 41 in any approved manner, as by screws 49, and has a horizontal hole 5|) drilled therethrough extending in aback and forth direction. Block 48 is also provided with a slot 5| parallel to hole 50 opening laterally away from hole Ell, or to the right as viewed in Fig. 3.

The previously mentioned'detector finger F is preferably made of resilient metallic wire and has two parallel strands or branches 52 and 53 the ,former of which'has secured to the rear end thereof a bobbin tip feeler 54. The branch 53 is much shorter than branch 52 and is received by the hole 5G, while the longer branch 52 ts into the slot 5|. The two branches are of such length that the rear -part of branch 52 can be placed in the slot 5| and then as the iinger is moved rearwardly the shorter branch 53 will enter the hole 50.

As shown more lparticularly in Fig. 2 both of the branches-52 and 53 are-provided with lateral offsets shown at 55 and 55, respectively, which are joined by a bend in the wire of which the ringer F is made to form a lateral arm 51. A light tension spring 58 extends between a rear lug '5S upstanding'from and rigid with the stationary'support-ftl andthe rear partv56 of lateral arm 51. The effect of spring 5B is to hold the finger VF normally in rearward position and also hold lateral arm 51 against lever 41 Yso that the latter will normally bein itsvnon-indicating position shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

A normally open electric switch AE is secured to the under side of support plate 4| and has a plunger 8|) for engagement with a nger 6| on lever 41. Normally finger 6| engages the support to serve as a stop to limit movement of the lever and also depressesplunger 60 to keep switch E open, but if lever 41 rocks on its pivot clockwise, Fig. 2, the plunger is unrestrained and permits closure of the switch.

A particular form of the detector finger F, lever 41, and switch E, thus far described is not speciiically claimed therein, but forms the subject matter of a copending application Serial No. 137,781, led January 10, 1950, by the present joint applicant Kronoff.

The forward part of support 4| has secured lli 4 thereto a bearing block similar to block 48. This block has a backwardly and forwardly extending hole '51 therethrough similar to hole 50 and a laterally opening slot 68 similar to slot 5| parallel to hole S1. rThe hole 61 and slot 63 are gnioleways for a retracting or withdrawing member designated generally at R. The retractor is conveniently made of bent wire and has short and long parallel arms G9 and 15, respectively, slidable in their respective guideways. The rear end of `the arm 56 has an upturned end 1| normally lying behind and Vpreferably spaced from the lateral arm 51. ri'he two arms 69 and 10 are joined at their forward ends and are bent upwardly to provide a retracting arm 12 for engagement with the stud i8.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 2 the part 56 of lateral arm 51 which engages the upturned end 1l is inclined in a direction forwardly, to the-left in Fig. 2, and laterally from the branches 52 and 53 of the detector finger F,

Under normal conditions the detector .parts will be in the lfull line position shown in Figs. 2 and 8, the pivoted carrier lever 41 being in its normal non-indicating position to maintain switch E open. The depending nger 5| of lever 41 'engages the support 4| to limit angularvmotion of the lever in a counter-clockwise direction as viewedin Fig. 2, see Fig. 4. If there-is a sufcient supply of weft in the shuttle as the lay advances on a Weft'detecting beat ythe tip 54 will be partly embedded in the weit and thenger F will slide forwardly with respect to the block 48, and the detector lever 41 willbe held against angular movement on its pivot 45. If, on the other hand, the feeler tip engages a depleted bobbin, such-as 24, the tip will slide along the bobbin and lever i1 will move angularly -from the full line to the dotted line position of Fig. 8 due to the'fact that the detector `iinger arm 52 is oiiset from the pivot of the lever in the direction of the length of the surface or bobbin being detected.

When the detector lever moves angularly it will move ringer 5| away from plunger 60 and switch E will close to give indication of weftexhaustion by means of any of the-known types of electric circuits (not shown) after which the transferrer arm will eifect bobbin transfer. As the transferrer arm ill descends the stud I8 moves forwardly and engages the upstanding arm 12 yof the retractor R, thus moving the latter forwardly as suggested in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and causing the upturned rear end 1| of thearm 1D to engage the lateral arm 51 and move the ringer F to the forward dotted line position shown in Fig. f2 where its tip 54 will be clear of the'path of the incoming bobbin 25. Since the retractor engages the oiset arm 51 at a `point beyond spring 58 with respect to the feeler finger branches 52 and 53 the detector lever-41 will be-prevented from turning and the switch'E willremain open, a condition which is desirable inasmuch as'an indication of weft exhaustion should not-begiven on a weit replenishing operation'of the loom.

As the lay starts to move rearwardly Valter bobbin transfer 'at front center the `transferrer arm I3 will rise inusual manner and'thespring 58'will move the nger'F rearwardly and'in doing so will move the retractorR rearwardly by engagement with arm 51.

The upturned end 1| is so located with respect to the offset arm v'51 that it does not interfere with the rocking motion of the detector nger when the latter gives indication of Lweft exhaustion, as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 8. It will also be understood that inasmuch as part S of lateral arm 5i is oblique with respect to the direction of motion of the retractor and is inclined forwardly from the nger F the latter will be held against clockwise angular movement around the pivot stud 45 as viewed in Fig. 2, as the retractor moves forwardly. This last named relationship assists the branches 52 and 53 and spring 59 to prevent angular motion of the pivoted carrier member 4l.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention sets forth a weft detector mechanism all parts of which remain stationary except the weft detector finger when the latter is moved forwardly incident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom. The carrier lever il is mounted on.

a ixed pivot, and since the support :il remains stationary and unmoved during the transfer operation the carrier is not acted on by any force tending to move it in a direction to give a false indication. The retractor R engages the offset arm 5i at a point beyond the spring 58 with respect to the nger F and because 0f this relationship the spring tends to preventJ angular motion of the carrier lever 41. Furthermore, the forward inclination of part 55 of the lateral arm 5l from the branches 52 and 53 cooperate with the upn turned end Il to prevent angular motion of the lever i? when the finger is withdrawn by the retractor. The retractor is guided in a block 65 which may be a duplicate of block i8 and has parallel arms which are sufciently resilient to be sprung to permit them to be slidingly engaged with the block 65. Also, the switch plunger exerts a given force tending to turn the lever toward its indicating position but the spring acting through the nger F exerts a greater force to prevent turning of the lever by plunger 69 when the retractor moves the finger forwardly.

Having thus described the invention it will be seen that changes and modications of the foregoing speciiic disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

l. In a weft detecting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a weft surface to be detected, a support fixed with respect to the loom, a detector lever pivoted on said support, a guide on the lever extending in a direction toward and from said surface, a detector linger slidable on said guide and having a feeler tip offset from the axis of the lever in the direction of the length of said surface, means indicating weft exhaustion when the lever moves angularly on said support, a lateral arm on said finger, a retractor operative on a weft replenishing operation of the loom to engage said arm and move the finger on said guide in a direction away from said surface, and a spring having one end thereof fixed with respect to said support and having the other end thereof connected to said lateral arm between said ouide on the lever and said retractor, said spring, finger and guide effective during movement of the linger by the retractor to prevent angular motion of the latter.

2. In weft detecting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a weft surface to be detected, a support xed with respect to the loom, a pivot on said support, a detector lever mounted on said pivot for angular movement with respect to said support, a detector finger slidable on said support in a direction toward and from said surface and having a feeler tip offset from said pivot in the direction of the length of said surface,

means indicating weft exhaustion when the lever 'and said finger, said spring and finger cooperating during movement of said lateral arm by said retractor to prevent angular motion of the detector lever in said given direction.

3. In weft detecting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a weft surface to be de` tected, a stationary pivot, a detector lever mount-- ed on the pivot effective to indicate weit ex-v haustion when turning in a given direction on.

said pivot, a detector finger guided for slidable.V

movement Yon the lever in a direction toward and. from said surface and having a feeler tip for eri-- gagement with said surface offset from said pivot in the direction of the length of said surface, a: lateral arm on said finger forward of said pivot. a retractor operative during a weft replenish ing operation of the loom to engage said lateral. arm and slide the finger on said lever forwardly with respect to said surface, and a spring having: one end thereof stationary and having the other end thereof connected to said lateral arm be tween said retractor and said finger, said spring, and nger cooperatingwhen said lateral arm is: moved by the retractor to prevent angular mo tion of the detector lever.

4. In weft detecting mechanism for a weft re plenishing loom having a surface to be detected.. a stationary support, a detector lever mounted for angular movement on said support, an electric switch mounted on said support held open by the lever when the latter is in non-detecting position but tending to close and normally exerting a force on said lever tending to move the same toward indicating position, a detector finger slidable on said lever and guided thereby for movement toward and from said surface, a lateral arm on said finger, a spring having one end thereof fixed with respect to the support and having the other end thereof operatively related to said lateral arm at a given point along the length of the latter, and a retractor operative on a weft replenishing operation of the loom to engage said arm at a point beyond said given point with reference to the nger to slide the latter away from said surface, said spring and lingereifective when said arm is moved by said re-v tractor to prevent movement of the detector lever to the indicating position thereof.

5. In weft detecting mechanism for a weft re plenishing loom having a surface to be detected, a stationary support, a pivot on said support, a. detector lever mounted for pivotal movement on; said support, an electric switch on said support; normally exerting a given force on said leverl tending to move the latter from the normal posi-v tion thereof toward the indicating position there-- of, a guide on said lever, a detector finger guided for sliding movement on said guide relative toy the lever in a direction toward and from said surface, a lateral arm on said finger forward of' said pivot, a retractor effective on a weft re-i plenishing beat of the loom to engage said arm. and slide the finger forwardly relatively to the guidepand aspring exerting a Aforce onsaid .arm in a .directiontoward said surface at a'point .hetwen said retractor `andsaid ringer, said arm engaging said lever andsa-idspring ,effective normally to overpower said given force, said spring and vfinger and guide .during forward movement of said lateral arm by said retractor exerting a force on said lever opposite Ato and greater than said given force `and preventing vangular movement of the detector lever on said pivot.

6. In a weft replenishing loom, a stationary support, a pivot on said support, a detector :lever mounted `on said pivot Afor angular lmotion vrelatively to .said support, guide means on the lever, a detector ringer guided for sliding movement on said guide relative l.to said lever, a lateral arm projecting from- Said ringer forward yoi said pivot, a .liet/rector slidably `mounted with respect to and supported by said support .and engaging said lateral Varm at a given point, and `a spring having one end thereof xed with respect .to said support ,and having the other end thereof attached to said lateral arm between said given point and said nger and cooperating with said armto hold said lever normally in non-indicating position, said retractor when sliding relatively to said support in a direction away from said pivot causing said finger to slide relatively to the guide and said spring and linger and guide being eifeotive during said forward movement of the retractor to hold said lever in the non-indicating position thereoi'.

7. In a weft detector for ,a weft replenishing loom, a stationary support, a pivot on said port, a detector lever mounted for angular movement on said pivot, a detector linger slidable on said lever, a. lateral arm on the forward part of said iinger engaging said lever, a retractor forward of the pivot, means on said support guiding the retractor for movement along .a given path in a directienaway from said pivot, aspring on the support engaging said lateral arm at a point between said retractor `and said finger and cooperating with said arm to hold the detector lever normally in non-indicating position, saxl lateral arm having a part thereof oblique with respect to said path and inclined forwardly from said nger, said retractor .effective when moved said given direction to said part of said lateral arm and slide the finger forwardly relatively to the lever and effective due to engagement with said part to prevent angular movement of the lever around said pivot.

8. In a weft detector mechanism for a loom, a support, a detector lever pivoted on said support, a weft detector finger, guide means on said lever on which the linger is slidable at one side of the axis of the lever, a lateral arm on said finger forward of said axis, a retractor mounted 8. on said support Afor sliding 'movement forwardly from said axis .and 4having apart lfor engagement with said arm, and a spring having one end thereof held xed with respect to the support and having the other end thereof engaged with said arm at a point between said finger and said retractor, said spring and arm cooperating to hold the lever in normal position on said support, said retractor when sliding forwardly from said axis causing said part thereof to slide the finger forwardly on the guide means and the latter and the spring and linger cooperating to hold the lever in said normal position thereof.

9. In a weft detector, a support, a pivot on the support, a detector lever movable angularly on said pivot, a detector linger guided for straight line movement on said 'lever `at one side of the pivot, an arm on said finger extending laterally from the finger and 'forwardly of the pivot, a retractor, a guide block fixed to the support on which the retractor is slidable in a direction toward and from said pivot, and a spring exerting a rearward force on said arm between the finger and retractor, said retractor when moved relatively to said block in a direction away from said pivot cooperating with said arm to slide the finger forwardly relatively to the lever and the spring and finger cooperating to prevent angular movement of the lever on said pivot.

10. In weft detecting mechanism having a detector finger mounted for sliding movement on a detector lever pivoted to a support, a guide secured to the support and having two spaced parallel guideways therein extending in a direction toward and from the lever, and a retractor slidably mounted on said guide for movement on the latter in a direction away from the lever, said retractor comprising a bent wire having two parallel arms, one in each of said guideways, one of said arms being eiective to slide the detector nger on said lever when the retractor moves relatively to the guide away from the lever.

l1. The weft detector mechanism set forth in yclaim 10 wherein said one arm has the end thereof adjacent to the lever upturned for engagement with the detector ringer and the guideway for said one arm is an open slot .in the guide opening away from the other guideway.

CLARENCE R. KRONOFF. GEORGE N. PETERSON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Knowlton et al. July 24, 1923 Number 

